As Utah Jazz training camp begins in October’s first week, the team will gather players and coaches together again after a long summer vacation to begin work on the season ahead.
But training camp won’t take place here in Utah.
Instead, the team will jet to Hawaii, spending the first five days of practice there before playing a game against the Los Angeles Clippers in Honolulu at SimpliFi Arena on Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. MT. The franchise announced the game Wednesday morning.
The Jazz will be practicing on the campus of BYU-Hawaii on the north shore of Oahu, meanwhile, the Clippers will be practicing from the University of Hawaii’s facilities.
The Hawaii trip had been in the works for months, but took on a different tone after fires have devastated the town of Lahaina in Maui. Wind-driven fires have killed at least 115 people, with at least 850 missing. In the wake of those fires, the Jazz and Clippers jointly decided that all proceeds from the game would be donated to the Maui Strong Fund.
“In joining with the Clippers in Hawaii, we are proud to work alongside the Hawaii Tourism Authority in support of its residents and provide continued visibility of ongoing relief efforts,” the Jazz said in a statement. “The Utah Jazz prioritize community stewardship as a core value and are focused on showing the greatest care and concern for the victims of the devastating Maui wildfires. We are proud to partner with the Clippers on this trip that will be so much bigger than basketball.”
After the game, the Jazz will return to the continental U.S. and play the Clippers again in Seattle on Oct. 10. Then, they’ll return to Utah to play Portland at the Delta Center on Oct. 14, the New Zealand Breakers at the Delta Center on Oct. 17. A date at Sacramento on Oct. 19 wraps up their five-game preseason schedule.
